Rose: Magical Properties & Uses

The rose is the central herb of love magic in the Western tradition: its association with Aphrodite, Isis, and the Virgin Mary gives it a history of use in love workings spanning millennia. Red roses are for passionate and sensual love; pink for gentle affection and the healing of relationships; white for purity and new beginnings. Beyond love workings, rose is a psychic herb (its scent opens the heart to higher perception) and it is associated with protection, secrets, and the goddess in her many forms. Rose water is among the most versatile magical preparations and can be used in almost any working where Venus energy is needed.

Rose petals and hips have been used medicinally across Europe and Asia for thousands of years. Rosehips are one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C and were harvested extensively during wartime rationing in Britain. Rose water has been used in skin preparations since at least the medieval period and remains a staple of Middle Eastern and South Asian cosmetics. The petals contain tannins and anti-inflammatory compounds; rose petal tea is used in Middle Eastern herbal traditions for digestive complaints and mild anxiety. Rose essential oil is used in aromatherapy for grief, anxiety, and hormonal support.

Aphrodite, Venus, Isis, Mary

The rose's place in magical tradition reaches back further than almost any other plant in the Western apothecary. It was sacred to Aphrodite and Venus in the classical world, grown in their temple gardens and used in their festivals. The Romans used rose petals extensively in religious ceremony, perfumery, and medicine. In medieval Christian tradition the rose became associated with the Virgin Mary, and the rosary takes its name from the Latin for rose garden. The phrase sub rosa (under the rose) meaning in secret, derives from the custom of hanging a rose above a meeting table to indicate that all discussion was private and confidential.